Rachel Cunningham
The Community Enterprise Association Ireland is doing a callout for Dublin’s community change-makers.
The association is hosting a series of regional events that will help members of the public build an idea that could help tackle social or environmental challenges into a service that could drive real community change.
Entitled Champion Changemakers, the ambition of the project is to find solutions that can be turned into products or services which will directly impact the lives of people in local communities. The idea could relate to food waste, fast fashion, climate change, education, housing or mental health in your local community in Dublin.
Individuals will not need to have any experience of business or social enterprise but should be driven by a passion to make a real difference in their own communities and beyond.
Fiona Louise Descoteaux, Chief Executive Officer, Innovate Communities said: “As we face the challenges of climate change, economic inequality, poverty as well as the cost of living, to ignore or simply sustain these issues is not enough.”
“We’re looking forward to working with CEAI to execute ‘Champion Changemakers’ by empowering, educating and inspiring individuals in our local community to share their ideas to help tackle social or environmental challenges, and to work with them to bring their ideas to fruition creating tangible products or services that yield positive change locally and potentially, nationally”, she stated.
Examples of successful social enterprises already in Ireland include, Food Cloud, a social enterprise that connects businesses that have surplus food with charities and community groups that need it to combat food waste in Ireland, and GIY Ireland, which educates people on growing their own food with the goal to rebuild a sustainable food system.
Interested parties will be given the opportunity to work with local mentors to develop their idea and prepare for a presentation pitch to a panel of experts in their local hub across the weekend of September 23.
Finalists will be identified from each region and those shortlisted will participate in the national event on October 20. The overall winning team will benefit from a bursary of key supports and services.
Visit Community Enterprise Association Ireland’s website here to find out where your local event is happening and for details on how to sign-up.
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